Marshall JMP-1 users

[beachjammer]

Just wondering what settings you guys like and if you're running your effects through the loop of the JMP or coming from the outputs of the JMP into the inputs of the effects processor. Also, what kind of tubes seem to sound best in these or does it really make a difference?

[Hellbat]

Where's Bill Z when you need him....

[javert]

I got a JMP-1 a couple of weeks ago and I'm still experimenting with it. I was frankly surprised to see that it has an effects loop. What's the point of it?

Edit: hmm, perhaps it makes sense in combination with the speaker emulation output channels it has? Not that I have any use for those anyway.

[Speiro]

I have one and had a Rocktron Xpression unit going through the loop but I bought a Marshall JFX and run that through the loop, works really well. On the Marshall website there are some JMP-1 settings for Adrian Smith and Dave Murray in one of the "Marshall Law" PDF mags on there. You can get a huge range of different sounds from them. Not sure on my settings and cant fire it up at the moment but it's great for 80's metal and thrash which is what we were playing.

[Newc]

I got a JMP-1 a couple of weeks ago and I'm still experimenting with it. I was frankly surprised to see that it has an effects loop. What's the point of it?

Edit: hmm, perhaps it makes sense in combination with the speaker emulation output channels it has? Not that I have any use for those anyway.

Not sure if the JMP has any FX loop options, but with the Digitech GSP21 series you could set the loop to be Inline (normal Input to Output through whatever was in the loop), Summed (running both effected preamp and what's in the loop and un-effected preamp (bypassing the loop) to the outputs) and Inline+Summed (both settings at once). This last one could give you a phase-inversion effect (half-cocked wah) with a volume pedal in the loop.

As well, you can run the Send out to a poweramp or external effects unit and not even use the Returns.

Additionally, you can run a volume pedal in the loop for Delay/Reverb effects i.e. strike a note and cut the pedal but the effect trails off.

[tonemonster]

I have one in my rack and it works well. I have to front load the piss out of it with a BOSS compressor/sustainer and a TS 9 tube screamer ( with a BOSS noise gate) to get what I want out of it. and I use a BBE sonic maximizer on the back end. BUT, keep in mind I play at low volumes too. so you need to front load the hell out of anything to get it to sound well at low volumes. I am used to a Boogie Roadking, and my Splawn QR and they have gobs of gain, so the JMP 1 can be a little on the light side for gain, but if you work with it, you can get good stuff out of it. the tones are in there, just look for them.

[beachjammer]

I tried my G Major and BBE in the loop last night and didn't like it. The loop is a parallel loop which makes sense considering it'd be in series if you just run outputs to inputs down to the power amp. That's the way I'm gonna run it. I'm getting some very satisfying tones out of it for sure. I'd like to get one of the JFX units to go with it as I think that'd go better than the G Major. I'm not completely sold on the G Major with it right now. I haven't tried my tube screamer in the front of it but I'll try that next. What tubes are you guys using or have you noticed any difference in changing tubes?

[Hellbat]

I know Bill swears by using the Marshall FX unit with his. I think he also uses a BBE on it but not sure if its in the loop or after the output. If the loop is parallel then probably at the output.

[Bert]

The JMP-1 FX loop is great, since the level can be configured at the patch level. You can stick any kind of bonus effect in the loop and kick it in with MIDI at any level you please.

As for swapping tubes, when I had one I put in some USA GE tubes to replace the stock chinese ones, and it sounded ... exactly the same.

[javert]

Not sure if the JMP has any FX loop options, but with the Digitech GSP21 series you could set the loop to be Inline (normal Input to Output through whatever was in the loop), Summed (running both effected preamp and what's in the loop and un-effected preamp (bypassing the loop) to the outputs) and Inline+Summed (both settings at once). This last one could give you a phase-inversion effect (half-cocked wah) with a volume pedal in the loop.

As well, you can run the Send out to a poweramp or external effects unit and not even use the Returns.

Additionally, you can run a volume pedal in the loop for Delay/Reverb effects i.e. strike a note and cut the pedal but the effect trails off.

Ah, right. It does have some controls for the loop, it appears, so you can do the serial/parallel thing.

[Tommie]

The JMP-1 FX loop is great, since the level can be configured at the patch level. You can stick any kind of bonus effect in the loop and kick it in with MIDI at any level you please.

As for swapping tubes, when I had one I put in some USA GE tubes to replace the stock chinese ones, and it sounded ... exactly the same.

That's because the tubes do almost nothing apart from the signal running through them and losing a bit of the fizz produced by the chips and diodes. None of the distortion in the JMP1 is tube driven at all! If you study the literature on the JMP1 it doesn't actually claim it's tubes producing the drive!

[Chad]

Had one. Loved it. Hard to make it sound bad. Never understood the "lack of gain" comments. I always got plenty of gain out of mine . Sold it when I got an AxeFx. BTW, the effects loop seemed rather versatile. I ran rack gear, pedals, etc. through it and it worked good with all of those setups.

[beachjammer]

The effects loop just seems to suck the tone to me. I hear the effect but loose tone. I'm begining to wonder if it's the way I have my G Major set more than the loop of the JMP. I ran just the JMP through my Rocktron Velocity power amp and it's got tone for days! It doesn't need the BBE at all IMO. The cleans sound really good on it. Way better than my ADA to my ears although I do prefer the ADA's distortion.

[Chad]

^I don't remember any tone suckage problems with my JMP-1. You might try running just a short, transparent cable (like George L's) from the effects send to the return, then compare that with the loop turned off. If you don't hear a difference that might point to the G Major as the culprit.

[Bert]

Unless you are always sending 100% of the signal to the loop, make sure the patches you use on the G-Major are set to 100% effect... otherwise you could get phase cancellations if the G-major introduces any delay into the direct signal.